Inside Mental Health

If you’d like to hear an insider’s perspective of psychiatric hospitals by a psychologist who’s worked there for decades -- this is your podcast. Tune in to hear Gabe interview Dr. David Susman, a licensed clinical psychologist with 25 years experience in a public psychiatric hospital. Gabe asks Dr. Susman all of the tough questions surrounding psychiatric inpatient care -- including why so many p...

Life is a limited time offer. Are you truly living each day to the fullest? Today’s guest, Kate Manser, pioneer of the movement YOU MIGHT DIE TOMORROW, believes that in order to truly live, we need to incorporate a certain level of “mortality awareness” into our lives. Only when we face our fear of death, do we gain the freedom to truly live. Tune into today’s Psych Central podcast to hear Kate’s...

There’s “nothing to fear but fear itself,” said the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Fear keeps us up at night, wears down our immune system and makes some people hoard obscene amounts of toilet paper. In this global COVID-19 pandemic, we’re seeing an unprecedented level of fear, and if we let it, this fear has the power to deteriorate everyone’s mental health. In today’s podcast, our guest D...

Most children encounter death at some point, whether it’s the loss of a grandparent, a pet or even finding a dead bird in the yard. In today’s podcast, Gabe interviews Patrice Karst, author of the children’s book “The Invisible String,” a story that explores the concepts of separation, death and the eternal connection of love. When a child aches for a lost loved one or beloved pet, they can find c...

Men and women experience schizophrenia differently; from the age of onset to symptoms and how society treats those with mental disorders.  Schizophrenic, Rachel Star Withers and co-host Gabe Howard continue the discussion of the differences from the last episode but change the focus to men.  Jason Jepson, an author who has schizophrenia joins for a man’s perspective and Dr. Hayden Finch returns to...

What happens when a rebellious English teacher from a dysfunctional background falls in love and runs away with a South Korean woman from a rich, controlling family? In today’s podcast, you’ll find out, as these were the true life events of author Mark Diehl who documented his experiences in the book "Stealing Cinderella: How I Became an International Fugitive for Love." From daily harassment to u...

Did you know one in six males are sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday? Unfortunately, many victims are afraid to come forward due to cultural conditioning. In this podcast, Gabe speaks with two psychologists about this very common but taboo issue. They tackle the prevalent myths surrounding male sexual assault and discuss why so many victims suffer in secrecy. What can be done? Where can...

Having a baby is a wonderfully happy time, right? For many women, it certainly is, but estimates show that 1 in 5 women who give birth will suffer from perinatal mental illness, including depression, anxiety, OCD or psychosis. In today’s podcast, Dr. Katayune Kaeni, a perinatal mental health psychologist and a sufferer herself, discusses these often confusing and debilitating disorders, particular...

Are you drowning in clutter? In today’s podcast, decluttering expert Tracy McCubbin identifies the 7 emotional clutter blocks that may be lurking in your psyche and offers tips to overcome each one. For example, have you saved every drawing your adult child has ever made? Do you have a basket full of unopened mail? Though both of these take up space, each is rooted in a different emotional block....

Often we don't really consider gender dynamics in treatment or medication. A lot of medications are only tested on men because of the risk of pregnancy, etc. This means there are whole drugs that have made it to market that may not have ever been tested with women. Schizophrenia affects women in many different ways than men. This episode discusses differences in age, symptoms, treatments, lifestyl...

Are you anxious about the new coronavirus? Is it a real threat or mostly hype? In today’s podcast, Dr. John Grohol, founder and editor-in-chief of PsychCentral.com, explains what the disease is, how it compares to the flu and why it seems to hit the panic button in a lot of people. He offers tips to avoid getting sick in general, and importantly, gives advice on how to keep our anxiety levels in c...

As with any relationship, finding the right therapist is extremely important. But how do you know if it’s a good match? In today’s podcast, Jeff Gunther, LPC, founder of TherapyDen.com, takes us through the entire therapist-hunting process. He sheds light on what you should be looking for in a therapist, the difference between those letters after their names, and he gets us thinking about what kin...

When parents have severe mental illness, their children can fall into a caregiving role. What is this like from the child’s point of view? Today’s guest, Michelle E. Dickinson, shares her personal story of caring for a mom with bipolar disorder. She talks with Gabe about her childhood memories, the moment she finally felt safe to tell her friends about her mom’s illness, her own bout with depressi...

Sex is everywhere in our digital culture. But while ads and films easily capture the lust of sex, there is very little conversation around intimacy and how sex actually works in a real relationship. In fact, many people think there is something wrong with them because their sex life doesn’t look like it does in the movies. In today’s podcast, sex therapist Laurie Watson shares what actually goes o...

Comorbidity is the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition. In this episode, host schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers with her cohost Gabe Howard will be discussing comorbidity with schizophrenia. Comorbidity is associated with worse health outcomes, more complex clinical management and increased health care costs. Occupational therapist Brock Cook will be...

Touch is powerful. From the time we’re born, and throughout our lives, we all need touch to thrive and develop properly. Sadly, many people experience a profound lack of affectionate, platonic touch. Today’s guest, Rev. Edie Weinstein, has a remedy for this. She is the founder of Hug Mobsters Armed With Love, which offers FREE HUGS events for the public. Tune in to discover how Edie got started in...

Trauma is a part of life. Whether it’s acute trauma, like war or childhood abuse, or more “common” experiences like divorce or the death of elderly parents, we all face trauma at some point. Today’s guest, Dr. James Gordon, offers a more hopeful and empowering view of our traumatic experiences. He explains how trauma is the soil in which both wisdom and compassion can grow. Join us as he shares sp...

Do you feel stuck? Whether it’s your living situation, career or an emotional state, we all yearn for growth and change -- but sometimes moving out of a stagnant place feels like climbing Mt. Everest. We just don’t know where or how to start. Join us as today’s guest, Shira Gura, creator of the unSTUCK method, shares specific tips on how you can step out of the mud and onto solid ground toward the...

Have you heard of dopamine fasting? It’s the trendy idea that if you restrict your enjoyable activities, like drinking, gaming, checking social media, sex, or eating cookies for a day or two, that it will reset the neurochemical makeup in your brain. But is there any truth to this? Is this practice helpful? Is it harmful? In today’s episode, Dr. John Grohol, Psych Central founder and editor-in-chi...

Do you feel stuck in life? Would you like to learn how to take back your power in a big way? According to today’s guest, best-selling author and radio host Ken D. Foster, changing your life begins with small daily habits. And these begin with courage. When we have the courage to change our thinking, it can change our lives and get us moving forward again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...

Medication, Therapy, Hospitalization, Electroconvulsive Therapy- what are the treatment strategies for schizophrenia? How do you convince someone they need help? What if someone refuses treatment? Schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers with co-host Gabe Howard reveal different treatments they have undergone over the years with various outcomes. Guest Barbara Thompson, with the National Alliance on Ment...

Do you receive Medicaid? Are you age 55 or older -- or will you be soon? Today’s guest, Rachel Corbett, author of the article “Medicaid's Dark Secret” in the October 2019 issue of The Atlantic, has some shocking news: The government may seek to pay itself back for your healthcare costs after you die. This could mean seizing any assets you hope to leave behind for your children, including your home...

The holidays are here! A time we set aside to focus on loved ones, blessings and joy. But we all know these weeks can be some of the most stressful of the year, especially if you are planning a get-together with difficult relatives. So how can we make the holidays run more smoothly? In today’s episode, PsychCentral.com’s founder, Dr. John Grohol, shares tips on planning ahead, dealing with a diffi...

In today’s age of digital dating, the act of ghosting -- ending a relationship by suddenly stopping communication with a person -- has become more common, and even normalized to some degree. For the person being ghosted, however, it can feel incredibly painful and confusing. So why do people ghost others? Is it out of cruelty? Listen as Dr. John Grohol, founder of Psych Central, discusses the act...

How do we start preventing mass violence in this country? Should we focus on mental illness? What is the link between the two anyway? Listen in as our guest, the medical director of the National Council on Behavioral Health, shares surprising answers to these questions and more from the new comprehensive report “Mass Violence in America: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions.” Learn more about your ad ch...